Sorrows of the Undying
This story tells the story of the end of Galiana Matveev's universe and the beginning of Erudite, from Galiana's perspective. This story is followed by Trials of the Undying. Chapter 1: The End of All Things... The universe had been stagnant for a long time... For many years, I've been alone. The universe is dying. A large cloud, with many faces and mouths moved through, consuming all in its way. It decimated nearly everything in only a couple years. It's only due to Selvarius that I've managed to keep ahead of it. However, the galaxy is almost gone. There's nowhere left to run. My companions, my family, my race, my home...they're all gone. I'm now all alone... "Galiana..." It was Selvarius...his voice came from the Amulet. "Galiana...Katia Matveev...your time in this world has ended..." My time in this world...what? "What do you mean?" "This universe's time has come to pass...Its time has ended...but your's...the Titans are leaving this universe, they intend to start it anew...and I will need you, when that time comes..." Should I? I do not know...I know I should but...everything I cared for is gone...there's nothing left to fight for...is there? "Galiana. You have served me faithfully during your time here. Ever since we met that trillion and a half million years ago, you have followed me without question, shown unwavering loyalty, and showed insurmountable will. I am proud to call you my champion. Now, as this universe draws to a close, you have been chosen to continue on, to not only uphold my ways in this brave new world, but also to ensure this tragedy never happens again." Never happens again? What does he... "Your use of the Amulet over these many years has made you entirely attuned to it. Now, its power can allow you to come to where my kind reigns. Utilizing the power of the Amulet, I can bring you to the Hub, where we make residence. There, you can be safe until the new universe is ready." Should I go? This new universe might not be the same...but all I have cared for here is now gone...dust... ...I'll go...my universe is gone, and I'll never forget my times here...but I must do what is best for others: I've been taught to do no less. Upon activating the Amulet, the armor generated by it appeared around my body, as normal. Only, now, a portal openned. "Excellent. You must hurry, this devastation cannot be held off too much longer..." Looking upon my broken dying universe one last time, I cannot help by cry a little...my home, gone forever... But I must move on...Where endings come, so do beginnings...But why is it some endings must be so hard? Chapter 2: The World Between Worlds Where am I? It looks like...that dreamscape I was in, after using the Amulet for the first time...When I first met Selvarius...Why am I here? "You're here, because that's how the mortal part of your mind preceives here to be..." It was Selvarius. "What...do you mean?" I really must know. "You are in the Hub, the realm of the Titans, a place mortals can not comprehend. Your control over the Amulet allows the Amulet's power to interpret the Hub in such a way your mind can comprehend, allowing you to enter it." Then, Selvarius seemed distant for a moment, before saying, "An old friend wants to speak to you...Come with me..." What does he mean an old friend...Wait! Is that..."Etah? Is that you?" "Ah, Galiana, good to see you again. You look well." "As well as I can be, after seeing my entire home universe die..." "Ah, yes, that... Don't worry, we're working on that." "Selvarius mentioned that...but, I still don't get it..." "The universe had died, you've seen that, but as long as some aspect of creation remains, it can be remade. The rest of us are working on that. For example: Selvarius here is in charge of recreating the wind, which actually fits nicely with his role as the force of Willpower." "But...what's that have to do with me?" "You've been around in this universe than most other mortals have been alive. Your loyalty to Selvarius seems unwavering. Plus: you've seen what perfection can do when allowed to spread uncontrolled. Soon, the universe will degrade, as change can never occur. It was Selvarius's suggestion to bring you here, to ensure that perfection never occurs." "So, you need me to spread the ideals of imperfection?" It seems unusual, but it make sense..."Alright...I'll help." "I was hoping you'd say that. Erudite is the name of the new world. It is different than what you may have seen before..." Etah's now gesturing elsewhere, and, what appeared to be a primordial world was shown. "Soon, the world will be ready for life to appear on it...You will be the first..." I'm just nodding now...I'll always remember my time in my own universe, but I know what I must do... Chapter 3: A New Beginning I exit the portal...and immediately, the power of the Amulet of the Tokarthi deactivates. Fortunately, my spirit has become attuned to the Amulet to the point where an issue I had a trillion years ago, going comatose after using the Amulet, is no longer a factor, but the wind is still knocked out of me. For the first time in a long time, I feel I can rest... Later... Finally, I feel refreshed. It's been...how long since I could actually rest? A week? A month? A year? A decade? I do not remember. And how long was I asleep? A few hours? A day? I do not know... But, now, I must begin looking over this new world. I'll survey it, and then, I'll know where everything is... ...The grass, it's like that which was on Ashadra...and all the plants...like what I've heard of that was supposedly on Earth...Both worlds my race supposedly came from... ...No, no, that's the past, gotta keep my head in the present. Sigh...I should probably try to find signs of civilization here: early, I'm sure, but I have to ensure that civilization is kept an eye on... ...It's a start... Later... How long?...How long has it been? A year? A decade? A millenia? I do not know...All I know is that I've been alone for what any other Ashadran would call a long time... By now, I've fashioned a staff out of a tree branch. For some reason it pulsates with energy, as if Selvarius empowered it somehow... And now, I'm...able to use Maj...mostly wind-related Maj, but Maj none-the-less... Now, time to talk over this hill again, for what may be the hundredth time...wait, is that...a small village? Life is evolving, now...civilizations are rising... My duty...is soon to begin...Selvarius...please guide me in this... Chapter 4: Rise of Civilization Many races are rising up now...it's been about a few hundred years since I saw that one village. Now, civilization is spreading fast across this continent, Eidyn. Several small towns and stuff have appeared in the past few years I've watched over the continent. Currently, no civilization has gone beyond a couple towns in size. This is good...means that no conflict will appear too soon. If the different towns went into conflict too quickly, that'd mean that only one sentient race would remain...not good... Maybe I should record the races and towns I find...may help me keep track of their growth... Later... Civilizations are growing at a fair rate...already, there are small cities in different segments of the continent. However, one civilization has me worried... This one race that calls itself the 'Moroitos'...that's then ame of the race that led to the death of my universe. They are not fairly big right now...only a small village, but that name...I just can't get it out of my head...I almost feel that now it's following me... ...I can't brood on that now...I'm just being paranoid...it's also likely that they'll probably be defeated the first time they fight someone...I shouldn't worry about it... Shouldn't worry...but why am I still? Chapter 5: The Moroitos I should have known...I should have known...I should have known that the Moroitos were going to be trouble. Their civilization spread quickly in the past few decades. Now, they're in danger of overrunning Eidyn, leaving no room for anyone else...Even worse, they claim to have achieved perfection...I...I cannot believe it...this soon after the universe is created, and its existance is already threatened... ...I have to act...I must find these Moroitos's capital and warn them. I do not give a care if they believe me or not: I have to tell them...I must warn them of this. If they disregard my warnings...they're merely planning their own downfall... Later... I finally managed to gain an audience with the Moroitos's leader. While I do like how they keep their cities, that is unfortunately part of the problem. Their self-proclaimed perfection is looking more and more like the real thing...soon, it'll choke the universe to death, unless something is done about it... ...Finally, this has to be their leader. "So...you're the one whose been preaching of the supposed 'superiority' of imperfection, in the Gods' eyes..." Yup...this sounds like their leader alright. "I'm the one saying how your 'perfection' will drag this whole plane of existance into ruin..." "Ruin? Isn't perfection what civilization strives for? To be the primary force in the land?" How do I argue with that...I cannot falter...I have my duty, I have to succeed..."What civilization strives for is peace...peace and perfection are not the same..." "Yet, Perfection can bring about peace. We strive to bring peace through perfection..." "Even at the cost of the whole universe? Even when your perfection will cause existance to grow stagnant, causing all of life to wither and die, once the spark of creation has died out?" "You ignorant fool! Perfection will not snuff out creation! Perfection is the epitome of creation! Perfection will be creation's shining glory, not its murderer. Now get this fool out of my sight!" I failed to sway their leader...This brings back memories of Infra, but maybe...causing a little dissent is needed to get the point home... Later... I cannot believe it...I've failed to sway them...while a couple saw things my way, most of them...they're just...Now my only hope...and it pains me to say it...is that something stops them...even if it means they... Chapter 6: Fall It...it is done...the Demons, they wiped out the Moroitos's Empire...while their end brings about a sense that the universe has been saved...I feel...I feel I failed my duty...I was supposed to stop them from being perfect...but...but I could not sway them... "Do not blame yourself, Galiana..." Isn't that... "Selvarius..." Sure enough, an apparition of him is here...why is he here? "Galiana, it is not your fault...none of us were prepared for this Moroitos Empire forming so early. Remember: it took many billions of years for such a society to form in the previous universe..." "But...you told me I was brought here to prevent such civilizations from forming...and...I pretty much failed...How can I do this if I can't even sway such civilizations..." "Galiana!" He...he never yelled like that before...why...why now? "Some will never back down from their impossible goals. They made their own fate. They could have saved themselves, but chose not to. You did your best, even titans can fail." He's...right...it was their choice not to follow what I said..."I...I'm sorry...I...I guess I..." "Even one with an almost-indomitable spirit can be broken...All you need to do is keep on going...Even when you fail in one place, it does not make you a failure...Remember: The past doesn't define your future: it just gives you somewhere to start..." He's right...I can't let this drag me down...I just have to keep going...my job is to prevent perfection from taking over the universe...that doesn't always mean preventing it everywhere...maybe I just have to ensure there's always a counter to it..."Thank you..." Well, he nodded and vanished... ...And he's right, I can't let this hold me back...After all: Your past doesn't determine who you are. It just allows you to find who you will be... Chapter 7: First Wave Looks like things are settling down now: most of the resistance the Moroitos has been giving has been all but stomped out. Now, newer civilizations are rising: smaller, mortal...imperfect...as it should be... One of them appears to be a human one...Humans...Here...while I can never live among them, it is nice to know I'm not alone here... ...Actually...I guess I've never been alone here...Sevlarius, Etah, they've been watching, I would think... However, there are times in my travels where I do feel truly alone...maybe it's for the best: I'll likely live longer than anyone else here, while they have a normal lifespan...I've known enough loss in my long life... ...I should continue going...my life's purpose is likely to never end...in my life, I've known quite a bit of sorrow...I guess that's what comes from being someone to whom age has no meaning...the greatest sorrow maybe that which I felt when my universe died... ...But that's why I was brought here: to ensure it doesn't happen again...I know my purpose, and I will do everything I can to fulfill it...There is no loss greater than the loss of one's own universe, and I'll make sure no one else has to feel that loss... ...I've been taught to do no less... Category:Stories